


Pitbulls, Parolees and Parents

by Suguru_Slut



Series: Pitbulls and Policemen [3]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Adoption, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Arguing, Assault, Bad Flirting, Children, Christmas, Coffee Shops, Crimes & Criminals, Dark Past, Developing Friendships, Dog Shelter, Dogs, Enemies to Friends, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Engagement, Falling In Love, First Meetings, Friends With Benefits, Getting Arrested, Love/Hate, M/M, Marriage, Past Relationship(s), Police, Police Procedural, Police Uniforms, Policeman!Bokuto, Post-Divorce, Pre-Relationship, Prison, Same-Sex Marriage, Self-Esteem Issues, Self-Hatred, Single Parents, Theft, Toxic Relationships, Vandalism, Wedding Planning, Weddings, Winter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-21
Updated: 2020-05-21
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:00:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24309370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Suguru_Slut/pseuds/Suguru_Slut
Summary: At first, preparing for their Christmas wedding was fun. At first. Now, Kuroo was just bitter. Happy for his friends, of course, but very bitter.Today Kuroo was helping out by meeting their wedding planner and helping pick out a theme (more “specific” than Christmas), which was cool. Honestly, Tetsurou was only bitter today because he was hungry and really wanted to taste test some good cakes or something—honestly, that was the only reason why he was bitter. Really.(Now withARTby artthetrash on twitter)
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou, Daishou Suguru/Kuroo Tetsurou
Series: Pitbulls and Policemen [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1469204
Comments: 4
Kudos: 67





	Pitbulls, Parolees and Parents

**Author's Note:**

> this sucks and took me too long to write, enjoy :)

Kuroo was reflecting on the stupidly successful relationship of his two closest friends, Akaashi and Bokuto as the trio sat at a café table in late September waiting for their new wedding planner to arrive. A tiny selfish part of the shelter manager hated himself for setting them up in the first place—but sometimes he hated himself for not thinking of the idea sooner. Bokuto adored, worshipped, kissed the ground Akaashi walked upon, and the dog walker was no better, just as sappy and just as head-over-heels. When Keiji asked Tetsurou to help him plan his proposal at the police station (with Scamp and Sunny playing a role, naturally), Kuroo could hardly hold his excitement in, and seeing his best friend’s expression when Akaashi went down on one knee was priceless. Actually, he sold a photo of it to some friends for $50, so it wasn’t exactly _priceless_ , but the entire situation and hopeful glimpse at the future made Tetsurou just as overjoyed.

At first, preparing for their Christmas wedding was fun. At first. Now, Kuroo was just bitter. Happy for his friends, of course, but very bitter.

Today Kuroo was helping out by meeting their wedding planner and helping pick out a theme (more “specific” than Christmas), which was cool. Honestly, Tetsurou was only bitter today because he was hungry and really wanted to taste test some good cakes or something—honestly, that was the only reason why he was bitter. Really.

“How long do we have to be here?”

“Now now, Tetsu, no complaining! Mommy and daddy are busy!” Bokuto teased, getting a kick underneath the table. “Ow! Akaashee, Kuroo kicked me!”

“So? I’m not the only parent here,” Akaashi coolly replied, intently flipping through a wedding magazine. “You both better behave; the wedding planner will be here any second.”

Koutarou stuck his tongue out at Kuroo, who returned the gesture just as the café door opened. Judging by the large glittery bags packed full with books, the slicked hair, professional asshole attitude and fake smile, this was the wedding planner. Kuroo locked eyes with him first—narrowed green eyes that hid a secret agenda, staring back at Kuroo with judgement, momentary dislike turned to respect. Fake respect. Well, two could play at that game.

_I always knew I hated rich people._

“You must be Akaashi,” The wedding planner smiled at Keiji, so sickeningly fake it made Kuroo nearly gag. “What a beautiful bride you make already.”

“Thank you, Suguru-san. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Likewise! This gentleman must be your groom, yes?”

“This is my fiancé, Bokuto Koutarou,” Akaashi introduced with a small smile.

“Hey!” Bokuto waved. Even though his cop instincts told him this guy was a schmuck, he acted polite for his fiancé’s sake. Maybe later he would secretly make fun of Daishou with Kuroo.

“You two seem like total opposites,” Suguru laughed louder than necessary. “I can see how well your personalities mix together—let’s just hope your preferences aren’t too different. That can make wedding planning very difficult.”

Kuroo had the displeasure of being seated next to Suguru, nearly being shoved out of his placement completely by the excess of junk the planner brought along; there was one bag dedicated entirely to ribbons in all shapes and sizes, another bag packed full of destination illustrations torn from magazines and books, and a third bag that contained a drawing book, a wedding dress scrapbook and another large binder dedicated entirely to themes. From the moment Suguru set the theme book on the table, Kuroo may as well have not existed.

“Now then! Tell me a little bit about yourselves; I like to get to know my clients before we dive into any sort of planning.”

_I’ll bet._

“What do you do for a living?”

“Well, Akaashi jumps between dog walking and some graphic designing stuff, and I’m a policeman!” Bokuto explained, knowing Akaashi hated talking about himself. “Kaashi’s job is _wayyy_ more interesting than mine.”

“I really don’t think dog walking compares to chasing down criminals and giving out speeding tickets,” Keiji shook his head, cheeks blushing just a bit.

“Sure it does! Besides, you’ve caught a criminal before, too! Remember that one time?”

“So you’re both a bit adventurous,” Suguru concluded. Man, Kuroo wanted to slap that snakeish smile right off his stupid face. Too bad it also made him look kind of sexy, from a certain angle…those creepy fingers taking notes cancelled out Daishou’s would-be attractiveness. Mostly. “I like that in a couple. How would you describe your relationship? Do you cook together, or have any of the same hobbies? Do you fight a lot?”

“Why would we ever fight?!” Koutarou exclaimed in shocked wonder, looking over at Akaashi with wide eyes. “Babe, you’re not mad at me because I left my uniform on the kitchen table, are you?!”

“You left it on the kitchen counter?”

Keiji wasn’t concerned about the cleanliness portion of that concern, but more so about the suggestive pose the clothing were left in following their…afternoon scruples.

“Akaashi and I _never_ fight—we just go so well together! I’m like the spicy, salsa kind of guy, and Keiji’s like the sweetest dark chocolate covered cookie you’ve ever had!” The policeman said proudly, nuzzling his nose against Akaashi’s, much to his annoyance (and secret delight.)

“No PDA—noted,” Daishou scribbled down. “If the first kiss is going to be mild, we should definitely up the decorations a bit for some extra flare.”

“I wouldn’t underestimate Akaashi, if I were you,” Tetsurou warned Suguru, finally gaining the attention of those yellow snake eyes. “He may seem vanilla, but he’s got a wild side.”

“Oh?”

That was all the response Kuroo got, making him pout as Daishou completely disregarded their conversation and went back to laying out some color samples and theme ideas. _This guy thinks I’m some scum cousin tagging along_ , Tetsurou thought in irritation. _If he wasn’t so hot, I’d…no! He’s not hot at all. Nope. Not with that nasty little personality. I’ve dated enough assholes to last a lifetime, although it’s pretty fun being toxic to each other. I could never date a snake, though; wouldn’t that make me a furry? I’m not into animals anyway—I’m not like Bokuto._

“Hmm…these colors are all pretty nice…”

“Might I suggest deep emerald green?” Suguru pushed forward a green piece of cloth that was absolutely _gaudy_ for a Christmas wedding.

“Kuroo,” Akaashi addressed, frowning at the palette of colors. “What do you think? For our main colors.”

“Green is tacky,” Tetsurou turned his nose up, but making sure to side-eye Suguru’s green outfit. “Too Christmasy, too cliché. I’d shoot for something elegant, something that compliments your looks better: how about some sparkling gold?”

“Gold would look good with Bokuto-san’s eyes,” Keiji hummed in agreement.

“And Kaashi’s hair!” Koutarou cheered, snatching a gold fabric and holding it up to his boyfriend’s head. “Wow—he looks like a prince! But you always look like a prince, Akaashi.”

“Tch. I think you’ll look more princely than anybody wearing gold.”

“No way!”

“You can’t argue with me, Bokuto, I’m your fiancé.”

“Well, you’re my fiancé, too! If I say you look more princely, you have to agree with me.”

“I don’t, actually.”

As Akaashi and Bokuto playfully teased each other, Suguru faced Kuroo and gave him a small, poorly faked smile, probably annoyed about the manager’s underhanded comment about green being tacky; never-the-less, he started a conversation with him, and at this point Tetsurou had several more insults ready and waiting to be fired.

“So, Kuroo-kun; you seem to have an eye for design. What is it you do, again?”

“I’m the manager at East Tokyo dog shelter.”

“Oh?” Suguru feigned interest, turning his eyes back to his notes. “That sounds like a particularly… _messy_ job. But it’s nice to have a guest’s perspective.”

“Hey—I’m more than just a guest, buddy,” Kuroo glared at him. “I’m Bokuto’s best man! _And_ Akaashi’s maid of honor!”

“Actually, Kenma-kun is going to be my maid-of-honor,” Akaashi corrected him.

“…Whatever.”

Suguru smirked to himself, reluctantly setting the golden champagne paper aside to match it with another; much of the process went rather smoothly, Akaashi and Bokuto both too compliant with each other’s preferences to argue or disagree. It was decided that their colors would be gold and a deep red shade, there was to be absolutely no lace anywhere, and Suguru dubbed the rosy champagne theme _Golden Snow & Red Co_. Kuroo wondered from what crack of his ass Daishou pulled _that_ one from.

“And our babies!” Bokuto suddenly gasped excitedly. “They need to be in the wedding, too, Akaashi!”

“Of course. They’ll be the main event.”

“Oh! You have children, too?” Suguru asked in surprise, pausing his note scribbling to stare in amazement. “I wasn’t aware—you both seem very energetic for having more than one child.”

“They’re talking about _dogs_ , dumbass,” Kuroo cackled.

Akaashi took his turn to kick Tetsurou under the table as Daishou’s stare lowered to a slightly disgusted one. His expression seemed to read _what on earth are these crazy bastards thinking?_ They couldn’t mean actual dogs. That was uncanny. Dogs in a Christmas wedding? Real life _animals_?

“…Dogs,” Suguru repeated out-loud. “In your wedding?”

“Duh!” Bokuto grinned like a proud parent. “Akaashi’s dog Sunny, and my pitbull Scamp!”

“Did we decide about who would have the ring pillow on their back?” Keiji asked, killing Suguru’s hope of a huge fight between the bride and groom on the subject of including animals in their once-in-a-lifetime wedding ceremony.

“I think one dog should each have a ring,” Kuroo suggested with a cocky smile at Daishou. “Scamp can have Akaashi’s, and Sun can have Bo’s! Perfect!”

“Eeek!” The policeman shrieked like a girl. “It’s all coming together, Kaashi!!! I’m so _pumped_!!!”

“Let’s slow down a second, here,” Suguru interrupted desperately. “You want dogs to be including in your _wedding_? Is that really the best idea?”

“They’re a center point to this beautiful family, Dai-chan,” Tetsurou defended. “They’re basically prototype children, except much more lovable. If they aren’t in the wedding party, I’m not going.”

“Gah! You would abandon me on my big day, Kuroo?!” Bokuto whined in agony. “Some friend you are!”

“Sorry, Bo, but I can’t respect somebody who has cute dogs and doesn’t utilize them in what’s supposed to be the happiest day of your life.”

“Fair enough.”

“Haven’t you ever had a dog, Suguru-san?” Akaashi inquired after their wedding planner.

“Of course not!” Daishou out-right scoffed. “Their muddy little paws and filthy fur would definitely ruin my _bleu nuit_ French carpet.”

A loud gasp flew from Tetsurou’s lips. Even Bokuto and Keiji looked horrified, if even a little insulted. Kuroo was the first to voice his obvious displeasure, cat-like eyes now narrowed with anger and directed right at Suguru.

“That’s it—you are quite possibly the most _unlikable_ person I have _ever_ met in my life, Suguru Daishou.”

“Kuroo-san!” Keiji scolded in a hiss.

“How could you throw such judgement at those poor innocent creatures when you’ve never experienced their love for yourself?!” Kuroo accused, actually standing up in the middle of a café to point at the wedding planner. “They are the gentlest, most accepting animals you will ever come across!”

“ _Now_ who’s being judgmental?” Suguru shot right back, sitting straighter in his chair. “If Akaashi and Bokuto-san wish to have their… _pets_ in on the wedding celebration, I have no objections. It just seems like a little _unprofessional_ for such an elegant Christmas wedding.”

“I hate to break it to you pal, but any wedding with Bokuto in it will definitely not be elegant.”

“Hey!” Koutarou cried, pointing to himself. “I look elegant as hell in a suit! Tell him, Akaashee!”

“It’s true…”

“Of course you do, Bo, and with Scamp by your side you’ll look hot as hell! But if Mr. Suave over here doesn’t understand the deep connection that runs between a dog and their owner, you might as well fire him right now!”

Kuroo stomped out absolutely fuming, taking his muffin and coffee with him as the remaining three were caught in the midst of everyone’s stares throughout the shop. Things were quiet for a minute, Akaashi not sure where to start apologizing for their best man’s behavior; Bokuto was more bothered by comment about him ‘not being elegant.’

“…I’m so sorry about that, Suguru-san. Kuroo’s very… _passionate_ about his line of work.”

“I can see that,” Daishou huffed.

“He’s kind of a fruitcake once you get to know him,” Koutarou added carelessly. “But he’s a great guy, really!”

“We really would love to include our dogs in the wedding, Suguru,” Akaashi continued. “Do you think we can work out the ring idea Bokuto had?”

“That’s about as elegant as you can make dogs look in a wedding. I say we call it a day,” Suguru added impatiently, packing up his station. “We’ll discuss the wedding cake and search for destinations next time—I thank you for your hospitality. Give me a call if you think of any more ideas. Good day.”

Daishou left as quickly as he had come, hitting his bags on several tables before managing to exit the café and slide into his car. Akaashi sat in thought as his fiancé scarfed down a donut, oblivious to how tense the afternoon had turned out.

“Well, that could have went better.”

“Yeah!” The policeman mumbled over his food. “But man, Kuroo and Daishou do _not_ like each other, do they?”

“No, really?”

Bokuto blinked a few times, confused.

“…Um, _yeah_ , that’s why I said they don’t seem to like each other. Do you have an ear infection, Kaashi?”

Keiji stared at his fiancé’s chocolate covered face and sighed, grabbing a napkin and wiping his face off like a mother would to her squirming child.

“It’s a good thing you’re handsome.”

~~~*~~~

To say the least, Kuroo did not attend any further meetings with Suguru involved; Bokuto and Akaashi told him they settled on a black forest cake with buttercream frosting, artificial snow thrown down the red aisle instead of rose petals, also updating him on the guest list and final wedding destination, to be set at Kiyosumi Teien Park with a reception decorated in shimmering gold and chairs elegantly draped in deep red silk. Akaashi didn’t think it had to be so luxurious, but his fiancé was sucked in by Suguru’s grandeur suggestions and ultimately picked some of the most expensive items offered.

 _“This is our wedding, Akaashee!”_ Kuroo heard Bokuto shout back at his bride-to-be while on the phone one night. _“I need to outdo Chief Ukai’s from last summer!”_

_“Fine…we can have the chocolate fountain and ice goose.”_

_“Yes! You see how much Kaashi loves me, Kuroo?”_

Tetsurou was just as excited as Bokuto was about getting everything set in stone about their Christmas wedding—it made it all so…official. His best friend was really getting married. And to someone as equally attractive as him. Maybe even prettier. They were definitely a match-made in heaven, but Kuroo still fondly reminisced back to when it was just he and Bokuto, the day Tetsurou got arrested for vandalism…good times.

Business was slow at the shelter, Kuroo wasting time by cuddling with various canines before sitting at the front desk and reading a magazine; he had been thinking a lot about Bokuto, how he was taking big steps in his life and moving forward, asking Akaashi to move in with him, in return getting asked to marry Akaashi…it was nice to see him so happy. Kuroo supposed they would want children next, maybe through a surrogate, maybe through adoption, or maybe they would just adopt more dogs to add to their collection. With all the wedding jitters and on-coming nuptials, Bokuto frequently brought up the topic around Kuroo, pondering after his own romantic life, though Tetsurou was less than willing to answer for various reasons Koutarou already knew.

Of course, the reason they met was because of Kuroo’s last romantic relationship.

 _How could I have ever let myself date such a moron?_ Tetsurou shook his head, flipping the magazine page in boredom. _Atsumu…I think he’s still on probation for that assault charge. Serves him right. Thankfully I’m in a better place now…besides, I can’t act out when my best friend is a cop._

Yes, Bokuto and Kuroo met when Bokuto was arresting the latter for vandalism, public intoxication and theft. It may or may not have been Koutarou’s first week on the job. It might have been the first night. Kuroo chose to forget little details right away, but lately he had been hanging onto those memories just in case Akaashi and he decided to move far away and live their happy little family life somewhere else. Tetsurou and one of his many unhealthy boyfriends had broken into some building for reasons unknown, stole miscellaneous items and broke a lot of stuff; it was a stupid mistake on Kuroo’s part, and he felt bad for it after, but that didn’t stop him from seeking out more toxic relationships to hide his own insecurities. This road led him to Atsumu, which led him to unhappiness and fear, which led to assisting in assault and another arrest by Bokuto, which finally led to an epiphany after sitting in an interrogation room for a few hours.

Bokuto, looking as tough as ever in his all-black police uniform, replaced the officers trying to get information from Tetsurou. He sat down quietly, handed Kuroo a cup of water, and bore into his eyes with those inspiring gold ones.

“Look, Tetsurou-kun—I know you’ve been through a lot. I know you date a lot of shitty guys and think they’ll change you or heal whatever emotional problems you’ve having. But I think you also know that you can’t go on like this; I can tell when someone is a bad person, and I truly don’t think you are. I can see that you regret your actions.”

The black-haired young man looked up, then, fragile demeanor breaking even further than it had when he was arrested for the second time—he cried in the cop car and hadn’t said a word since, but then again, this felt like the first time he could hear in hours.

“I do regret them,” Kuroo admitted softly, closer to tears than he would like to admit.

“Yeah. So…if you’re willing to cooperate, I think I can get your charge lowered.”

“R-Really?”

“Totally! Instead of prison time, I can bump it down to probation time; you’ll have to report to your assigned officer once in a while, stay out of trouble and have no communication with Atsumu, but probation looks a lot better on your record than prison,” Bokuto offered thoughtfully. “Don’t you think so, Kuroo-kun?”

What else could Tetsurou do but stare in awe, absolutely shocked at being offered a way out of this turbulent lifestyle he stumbled into out of self-loathing, bitterness and whatever emotional damage he had left over from childhood. It had been a long time since anyone had offered him…well, a chance. It pulled an immediate emotional reaction from Kuroo, a tear spilling out as he eagerly nodded his head before the offer disappeared.

“You’ll take the deal?”

Kuroo nodded again.

“Well—great! I’ll go talk to the chief!”

As Bokuto went to hurry out, he found his wrist being grabbed; looking behind him, he saw Kuroo, teary-eyed, peering up at him with a grateful expression that could hardly be expressed through his fumbled words.

“Thank you. I…I’m not a bad person, I just…I-I just…”

“I get it,” Bokuto nodded understandingly. “You just thought a different kind of person could change you into the person you want to be. But I don’t think that’s how life works—I mean, I’ve only been a cop for a while now, but from what I’ve seen so far, I believe the only person who can help yourself is you!”

That was the breaking point for Kuroo, who burst into tears and crumpled into himself, alarming Bokuto, who jumped backwards in alarm.

“Wah—don’t cry!” The policeman screeched, patting Kuroo’s head frantically. “I’m sorry! Stop crying, before the chief sees!”

Most criminals didn’t befriend their arresting officers. Most criminals on probation didn’t get help from their arresting officers, either, and they definitely didn’t become the best man at the policeman’s wedding. Kuroo was lucky in that sense. He dealt with a lot of police in his younger days, none coming even close to how kind and accepting Bokuto was towards him; their love of all things ridiculous and loud brought them together past the professional conversations about law and what not. Pretty soon they discovered the other’s love for volleyball, which practically solidified their undying friendship—through this bond alone, Kuroo made it through probation, and he had been a straight arrow ever since. Well, not _straight_ , but less likely to commit petty crimes. Now his “partying” included having a few drinks while sitting at the dog shelter at roughly three in the morning because his only non-toxic friend was out having the time of his life watching romantic comedies with his stupidly perfect boyfriend…

But Kuroo wasn’t bitter. If anything, he was eternally grateful to still be involved in Bokuto’s life, which was the only reason he put-up with that pompous wedding planner for a solid ten-minutes.

 _Tch. I’m sure people like Suguru Daishou don’t know the half of worries like this_ , Kuroo snorted to himself, hearing the front door open. _Who did he plan a wedding for again? The current princess of Japan? What fun. Wonder how much that commission was…_

“Hello! How can I help you today?”

Instead of a happy, cheerful face ready for adopting, Kuroo was met with crude green eyes that were equally as wide, almost making him unrecognizable; but there was no mistaking those beautiful (yet slimy) lips, designer jacket and that usual slicked chestnut hair. The wedding planner, Suguru Daishou, was standing in front of Kuroo’s desk. In _his_ shelter. How dare he?

_Oh god. Speak of the DEVIL._

“Kuroo-kun,” Daishou nodded stiffly, attempting a mildly pleasant expression, though his distrust was obvious.

“…Yeah. What brings you here, serpent?”

Just as Tetsurou was mentally coming-up with multiple excuses to not give Suguru one of his precious dog-children, a child popped up from under the desk, scaring the living daylights out of Kuroo, who nearly launched himself out of his chair. Their wide grin was slightly manic, though he looked well-meaning as he leaned up as far as he could to see Kuroo.

“Woah—kid, where did you come from?!” Tetsurou asked in alarm.

“Hehe! I’ve been here the whole time!”

The manager looked back up, eyeing Suguru suspiciously before leaning across the desk to whisper to the child.

“…Blink twice if you’re being held here against your will.”

“No!” The boy giggled as Daishou rolled his eyes. “Daddy and I are picking out a _dog_!”

“Daddy?” _What the actual fuck. A child. Suguru has a child. No way!_ “This…is your _kid_?”

“Of course,” Suguru glared, placing his hands on the boy’s shoulders. “I mentioned it at the first meeting. Is there a problem with that?”

“No, no problems! I just thought you had to pass some sort of test to be a qualified babysitter.”

“Did your parents pass that test?”

Suguru’s son lightly hit his arm, making a pouting face that revealed all his similar qualities to his father; his freckles were a bit darker than Daishou’s (not that Kuroo looked at his cheekbones a lot…), although his actual jaw shape didn’t mirror his father’s. The hair was a dead match, maybe a bit more red in shade, and of course, matching designer outfits fit for a prince. Tetsurou enjoyed how their personalities didn’t seem to match in the slightest.

“Dad, that was mean!”

“…Sorry, Kenji. Don’t repeat that, okay?”

“It’s okay, Kenji,” Tetsurou waved off. “I feel more sorry for you than me.”

“Really? Why?” The boy cocked his head.

“Because you have to _live_ with this guy. That must be some ordeal, huh?”

Suguru didn’t even bother rolling his eyes this time, ruffling his son’s hair when he laughed again. Insults aside, Kuroo was secretly shocked by this revelation: Daishou definitely didn’t seem the type to have a child. Plus, he didn’t wear a wedding ring—it seemed the wedding planner had some secrets of his own, secrets Tetsurou was determined to find out and use against him if Suguru wanted something to argue about. His evil plans and surprise were interrupted by Kenji’s loud voice piping up again, brown eyes excitedly staring up at Kuroo.

“Can we see the doggies now, Kuroo-san?! Pretty please?!”

The the mention of dogs, Tetsurou immediately softened, smiling down at the boy and going into manager mode. Although he was reluctant against giving Suguru a dog, he wasn’t about to break Kenji’s pure little heart.

“Of course! Follow me, Ken-chan.”

The father and son followed Kuroo to the main kennel area, Kenji practically beaming already as they walked up on the first row of dogs—Suguru trailed behind, watching quietly as Kuroo and his son explored. There were lots of cute dogs, big dogs, thick dogs, smaller dogs, dogs that were so excited to see Kenji they were peeing all over their kennels. Tetsurou figured they were too high-strung for a kid, so he introduced Suguru’s son to a few older mutts that were level-headed enough for a beginner pet owner.

“Kenji, I’d like you to meet Majima; he’s a black German Shepard, only four-years old.”

“Woahhhh,” Kenji said in awe, holding his hand out for the large dog to sniff. “Where’d his other eye go?”

“Not sure. He came to the shelter with his face all tore up, but he’s all better now.”

“What’s his behavior like?” Suguru asked since Kenji was already preoccupied.

“He’s got a serious face, but on the inside he’s pretty lively—you should see him play tug of war with Big Balls!” Kuroo bragged.

“Big Balls? Why’s his name that?” The innocent child wondered.

Daishou stared at Kuroo, waiting for his answer. Instead, Kuroo did what he did best and switched the topic around, tugging Kenji over to another kennel where a tiny terrier mix was wiggling around happily; with his cute spots and energetic eyes, he looked like a perfect match for Kenji.

“Hehe! He’s licking me, Dad!”

“This one’s Sprite. Can you guess why?”

“Caus’ he’s psychotic?” Suguru offered, face scrunching at the wiggling dog.

“Don’t be such a buzzkill, Suguru-chan!” Tetsurou chided, handing Kenji a treat to give to the dog. “Sprite is a perfectly good companion for any energetic child.”

“He’ll ruin my carpet!”

“I bet Kenji ruins your carpet, too, right, Ken-chan?”

“Mhm!” Kenji agreed. He hopped to the next few kennels as his father argued with Kuroo about the cleanliness of dogs, inquiring about any hairless cats they might have available—Kenji was adamantly against cats, calling them “buzzkills” and agreeing when Kuroo applied the term to his father.

“Just because you’re a fancy-dancy wedding planner doesn’t mean you can deprive your kid of having a messy pet! I know loads of lawyers who let their kids have monstrous pets because they love them too much to say no.”

“Well, I love Kenji just as much, but I’m not about to let some dog prance around my house destroying everything in sight,” Suguru shot back defensively. “We need something small, something compact; something lazy, maybe. Do you have any senior dogs that don’t have much longer to live?”

“What?! You can’t give Kenji a senior dog for his first pet, it would crush him!” Tetsurou argued with growing horror. What kind of person _was_ this bastard? “Besides, you don’t get to choose—whoever Kenji falls in love with, that’s who you’re going home with, buddy.”

“Says who?”

“Says you! If you love him as much as you say, you’ll cave as soon as Kenji shows interest towards—”

A gasp from Kenji interrupted their argument; he had made his way to the final kennel on the left side, eyes wider than ever, pushed up on his tip-toes as he grabbed the fencing in front of him.

“ _This_ one! _This_ one!”

Suguru and Kuroo hurried over, the latter grinning brightly when he saw who Kenji was favoring: a gigantic white pitbull was sitting patiently, towering over the boy by a good five-inches, black eyes staring with hidden curiosity. He weighed a whopping 120 pounds, his chest three times the size of Kenji’s (probably closer to Kuroo’s), feet wide and legs longer than the usual pitbull stance. To say the least, he was a beast. One time he headbutted Lev, an irritating volunteer, and he had a bruise and a headache for two-weeks after. Kuroo glanced at the sign on the dog’s kennel, the one he usually avoided reading because it made him depressed.

**_Hello! My name is_ **

**AONE**

**_I have been at the East Tokyo Shelter for:_ **

** 829 DAYS **

**My favorite toy is: _Honeycomb, my squeaky bee_**

**My favorite volunteer is: _Lev_**

** Please give me a loving home! **

“I want him!” Kenji shouted.

“Kenji, no—”

“What’s his name?!”

“That’s Aone! Isn’t he sooo cute and lovable?” Kuroo grinned, leaning down where Kenji had his nose squished against the wiring. “He’s one of our biggest pitbulls here—you want to pet him?”

“ _Yes_ , yes! Can I, Dad?!” Kenji begged, throwing himself at Suguru’s legs desperately. “Can I pet him?!”

“…I suppose…”

Suguru was forgotten for the moment, Kuroo growing serious as he quickly opened the kennel door and let Kenji inside—Aone rarely ever got looked at for adoption. To their credit, the dog was quite terrifying to those who didn’t know his mild character, what with his serious face, oversized head and extremely muscular body; this was a big moment for the dog, and Kuroo wasn’t about to let anyone ruin it. Kenji became a little hesitant once he entered the kennel, overestimating Aone’s size, but the dog remained right where he was, overly aware of his intimidating size. Tetsurou gave him a greeting pat, kneeling down so Kenji felt more comfortable.

“Just hold out your hand for him to smell,” Kuroo guided, gently taking Kenji’s small hand and holding it up to Aone’s pink nose. He barely caught a whiff before giving a tiny scoot forward on his large rump, worrying Suguru with his towering size, but Kenji seemed more confident. With Kuroo’s hand still guiding him, the child stretched and laid his palm on Aone’s head, carefully stroking the surprisingly soft white fur there; the entire shelter seemed to be completely silent as all eyes watched the pitbull.

Aone blinked a few times, then leaned slowly, like he knew he was being monitored, into Kenji’s touch.

“Good boy,” Tetsurou praised under his breath.

“He seems…okay,” Suguru dared to say. He was still keeping a sharp eye on the dog, ready to jump between him and Kenji at any given moment.

“He’s a big sap when you get to know him.”

Aone stood up suddenly, but didn’t move much aside from continuing to press his head further into Kenji’s touch. His size now meant nothing to the six-year-old, giggling and becoming bolder in petting the giant dog, finding a good spot right behind Aone’s pointed white ear.

“Hehe! He really likes petting,” Kenji noticed, cheeks becoming pink with happiness. “Will he sleep beside me?”

“I think Aone would _love_ that—as long as his favorite squeaky toy Honeycomb gets to join!”

Aone became a bit more animated when Kuroo held up his bumblebee toy, waiting patiently until it was nudged by his mouth, at which point Suguru got a front-row look at the dog’s shark-like, shiny teeth. Kenji apparently didn’t see, laughing when Aone’s bite made the toy squeak loudly; his attention on the toy was short-lived in comparison to his fascination towards Kenji, who was getting closer and closer to hugging him.

“So…how does Aone behave?” Daishou asked cautiously, stepping inside the kennel but keeping his distance.

“He’s an angel from above. Pitbulls used to be called nanny dogs because they do so well with children,” Kuroo informed him. All hostility was gone, cat-eyes trained on Kenji and Aone as he spoke. “He looks pretty intimidating, but I’ve never even seen him get annoyed with the other dogs. He’s very patient and content, but he’s been here a long time, so I think he’s gotten quite lonely.”

“Why’s he been here so long?” Kenji wondered, using both hands to smoosh Aone’s cheeks. “Does he drool in his sleep or something?”

“No,” Tetsurou laughed. “People are just scared of him because he’s so big and strong.”

“Wha?!”

“I know, right?”

Suguru was content to stand aside and watch his son adore the giant creature, but Kenji wanted his father to see just how cute his new companion was, grinning up at him brightly with mischief in his eyes.

“Daddy, come pet Aone!”

“I’m okay right here…I don’t want to get my hands dirty.”

Kuroo rolled his eyes and yanked on Suguru’s jacket to get him closer, bringing him face to face with Aone, who peered up at him curiously, hesitance in his dark brown eyes as he looked Daishou over. Even if he wasn’t impressed, the dog didn’t show it, watching as Tetsurou guided the father’s hand towards him—Suguru cringed when his palm landed on the white fur but allowed Kuroo to maneuver his palm in a brushing motion. Kenji waited intently, holding his breath and watching Aone bond with his father; those black eyes didn’t waver from Suguru for even a second, dog’s expression strangely serious, as if he were intimidating his possible-owner into submission. Suguru didn’t need another child who had that kind of power over his head, but as he slid his hand out of Kuroo’s grip, it seemed Kenji had already made up his mind. Letting out a giggle, the child flung himself at Aone in a large hug, wrapping his arms around a small portion of the pitbull’s chest.

“Let’s take Aone home!”

“Yes!” Kuroo cheered, high-fiving Kenji and starting to do a strange dance with the toddler inside the kennel. Aone’s thick tail began wagging slowly, taking their cheers as a good sign. Could this finally be it?

“Are you sure, Kenji?” Daishou worried. He was thinking about his precious French carpet and new shoes, God forbid their new dog find them particularly appealing as a meal. “But…he’s a little big for the apartment…”

“So are you!” Kenji spat back. Kuroo cackled so hard he doubled-over. “We’re getting Aone! You promised I could get a dog, and I want Aone!”

“Kenji, don’t be like this…”

Predictably, Suguru’s son didn’t obey his command (who could he have inherited that stubbornness from?), taking his attitude a step farther by stomping his foot angrily and increasing his pouty face. Looking at him now, Daishou could see the Mika in him, the red tint in his hair, the arch of his furrowed eyebrows, the pink shade of his pouting lips…maybe the standing his ground part was Mika as well. Not that that was a bad thing. Kenji didn’t ask for a lot and he was still spoiled by both his parents, and he had begged and pleaded for a pet since turning six—Suguru reasoned that it was about time his son learned responsibility. And how to clean the carpet. And how to let go when his favorite pair of shoes was shredded…it could be his first heartbreak. If Kuroo asked, that’s the excuse Daishou would use: his actual reasoning was just love. He didn’t want to see Kenji depressed if his father didn’t approve of his pet choice. He wanted Kenji to be happy, and if this giant, man-eating dog had won his heart, Suguru would just have to deal with the consequences.

_Damnit. That hairy bastard was right._

“…Fine,” Suguru exhaled. “Aone it is.”

Kuroo did a fist pump and Kenji beamed, throwing himself at Aone once again to grin and hug the animal with all his might.

“Welcome to our family!!! I _love_ _you_ , Aone!”

“And he loves you, too!”

“You’re coming home with us, and you don’t have to stay in this place any longer!” Kenji explained to his new dog, whose happiness was calm, but deeply understood by Kuroo, who had never seen the pitbull’s tail wag that quickly before. “You can sleep in our bed, eat our food, wear our clothes—”

“Um, no.”

“Come on, Daishou-chan, live a little!” Kuroo teased, stabbing his finger into the wedding planner’s side and earning himself a scowl. “On cold nights you can cuddle up to Aone and use him as a personal heater. That’s what the other dogs do here.”

“Do I look like a dog to you?”

“Do you _really_ want me to answer that?”

Suguru and Daishou argued as Kenji led Aone by his leash to the front desk where Tetsurou arranged their paperwork; Daishou handed over the fee without hesitation, too busy watching his son and showing a tiny smile every time Kenji laughed. Kuroo’s insults died in his throat as he watched the scene go down—many people brought their children here and had the same result, but something about this differed. Suguru was a pompous ass, but all his attitude, fake charm, fancy pants and expensive car seemed to be nonexistent compared to his son: despite all the hesitance he showed, despite his reluctance to get such a giant dog for their city apartment, he didn’t seem to have any reservations now, holding the leash as Kenji danced around a cheerful Aone. Maybe, just maybe, he was as terrible a person as Tetsurou labeled him. At least in these matters. He was still a jerk when it came to wedding planning. And that fancy car he drove? Ridiculous. But Aone had a permanent home, now, and the shelter manager couldn’t be upset about that.

“…Kuroo-san?”

“Huh?”

Kenji and Suguru were both staring at Kuroo expectantly.

“Do I get to sign the paper?” The boy repeated.

“Oh—yeah! Here you go; your dad signs here, and you can sign on the bottom line.”

Aone was officially turned over to Suguru and his son, taking his squeaky toy, leash and studded blue collar along; there was really nothing more to discuss, but either Kenji or Daishou could sense Kuroo’s reluctance to let Aone go after the dog had been in his company for over two years. He didn’t want to keep the pitbull from his new home, of course. It was just sad to see him go.

“I’ll be in touch if my shoes are ruined within the first week,” Suguru threatened.

“Pft. Okay. My insurance doesn’t cover chewed Stilettos.”

Kuroo handed Kenji his official adoptee certificate, grinning at the boy as he shook his hand.

“Congratulations, Kenji. I think you and Aone will be very happy together.”

Kenji beamed brighter than ever, even getting Suguru to form a full smile—Kuroo fell into those smiles too many times in his youth, and so forced himself to look away. Aone was sitting patiently on his large rump, eyes shining as he looked up at the person who had been taking care of him for as long as he had been here. The one person who hadn’t feared the muscled dog upon arrival, the person who took him for the longest walks and played with him most often. While finding a perfect home for his abandoned pups was what Kuroo lived for, that didn’t make them leaving any easier.

“Thank you for your guidance, Kuroo-kun,” Daishou said, breaking Kuroo from his nostalgia. “Kenji certainly appreciates it.”

“And what about his father? Do I get his gratitude as well?” Tetsurou teased. But he wasn’t flirting. Nope. He didn’t have a daddy kink, either.

“Don’t push it. I’ll be calling you if my carpet is ruined.”

_Please do. I mean, don’t. Naughty Kuroo. Don’t be so lusty!_

Kenji managed to take his hands off Aone long enough to bow at the shelter manager.

“Thank you very much, Kuroo-san!”

“You’re very welcome. Thanks for giving Aone a chance.”

“Duh!” Kenji agreed. Kuroo chuckled and bent down to say goodbye to Aone, rubbing the dog’s pointed ears gently.

“Be a good boy, okay, buddy?” Tetsurou said lowly, lovingly. “Don’t accidentally trample Kenji. Or sit on him. I know you like to do that sometimes.”

Aone made a huffing noise, pushing his wet nose closer to Kuroo’s face.

“I know. I’ll miss you too. We all will, but you’ve got a good home, now. You’ll be happier there, in a home of your own.”

Kuroo let the dog lick a stripe of love on his cheek one last time, patting his head and stepping back so Kenji could crowd Aone again. Suguru shocked him by bowing slightly, face not as irritatingly cocky as usual. He almost seemed _sincere_.

“Thank you, Kuroo-kun. I’ll be contacting you for details on Akaashi and Bokuto’s wedding.”

“Right. See you then.”

“Bye bye, Kuroo-san!” Kenji waved. “Say bye, Aone!”

Aone barked his deep bark, getting a smile out of Kuroo one last time as the trio walked out together, piling into Suguru’s car and driving off into Tokyo. Normally, Tetsurou would go out for a few drinks with Bokuto to celebrate another dog finding a happy ending, but today, Kuroo felt like he had experienced a double-loss, and went home for a sleepless night, memories of a large white dog and an attractive, rich jerk floating through his mind.

~~~*~~~

Kuroo had been moping around for a week about Aone’s absence at the shelter, and the other dogs (and employees) noticed his damper mood. Everyone else missed Aone as well, but Kuroo was taking his leave a bit too personally—some volunteers thought their manager’s sour mood had to do with a human, too. He had been single as long as he’d managed the shelter, despite attempts by friends and volunteers to set him up; Bokuto wanted him to go out with he and Akaashi for a night on the town, only to get a snapping reply in return. Kuroo stayed home every night he wasn’t at the shelter, to ignore or avoid what, he didn’t know. Above all, he was trying to avoid thinking about why he was in such a shitty mood all week.

 _I just miss Aone_ , Tetsurou told himself while picking up some coffee Saturday afternoon. _That’s it. That’s all. Has nothing to do with that stupid wedding planner…ugh. I need to get laid or something. At least I have coffee._

Caught in his own thoughts, Tetsurou bumped his shoulder into someone as he walked outside the café.

“Sorry,” They apologized.

“My bad.”

“Oh—Kuroo.”

Tetsurou stopped walking away to glance back distantly, not expecting to see Suguru himself about to enter the coffee shop. He must have just came from another wedding appointment, glittery bag hanging heavily on his shoulder as he stared at Kuroo for a minute, as if trying to come up with something to say. Tetsurou couldn’t speak yet because he thought he was hallucinating from lack of sleep.

“Hi,” Daishou nodded awkwardly. “Um, how are you?”

“…Uhh, I’m fine! How’s Aone getting along? Did he eat your shoes like I told him to?”

“No. He’s doing well…Kenji and him get along nicely. No incidents thus far.”

“Good, good.”

Honking cars and hurrying footsteps filled their failed conversation, neither quite sure how to continue this interaction—Kuroo wanted to ask more about Aone, secretly getting more information on Suguru himself, but he missed his opportunity. People walked past them as more silence ensued. _Could this get anymore awkward? Think, Tetsu, think! Don’t you remember any of those insults you wrote down?_

“So…are you stalking me, or is this shitty coffee shop actually good enough for the sultry Suguru?” Tetsurou tried to tease, although it sounded more like a compliment. The wedding planner didn’t catch the slip, high eyebrows furrowing into a glare.

“Akaashi-san told me you frequent this shop. I need to talk to you about the wedding—do you have a moment?”

“Sure.”

Kuroo tried not to think about how easily he complied, more distracted with the fact that Daishou had been looking for him. Hopefully Akaashi didn’t think they were on a date or anything. Bokuto would have a field-day. Besides, Kuroo wasn’t naïve enough to think Suguru could love anyone other than his son—that’s why he didn’t have a wedding ring on, right? Somehow Tetsurou didn’t believe his excuse as they sat down outside the café after Suguru retrieved some coffee of his own, laying out a few sheets of paper and a scrapbook labelled _Bokuto Wedding_.

“Wow,” The shelter manager snorted. “You seriously have an entire scrapbook filled out for Bo’s wedding?”

“Of course. That’s how I stay organized,” Daishou huffed, opening the book and grabbing a pen. “Now, I wanted to ask you about the aisle song and the chair layout. Akaashi and Bokuto-san couldn’t decide, so they told me to let you decide, since you have a guest’s point of view.”

“Honored guest.”

“Whatever. Which of these songs do you like best for when Akaashi walks down the aisle: _What If Love_ by Wendy, or _Bella Notte_?”

Suguru played both options on his phone, Kuroo nodding and humoring the wedding planner by listening to both even though he had already decided.

“The first one, definitely.”

Daishou surprised Kuroo by making a displeasured face, writing down the song name and trying to avoid arguing, but unfortunately for him, Tetsurou loved arguing.

“Hey, you’re the one who asked, Dai-chan!”

“I know, it’s just…not very _Christmasy_. It’s a Christmas wedding.” Suguru paused for a second, scowling at the latter half of Kuroo’s sentence. “And why do you keep calling me Dai-chan? I’m your superior, you know.”

“Ha! Since when?!” Kuroo scoffed.

“I’m older!”

“Nuh uh.”

“Yeah huh!”

“Whatever helps you sleep at night, Dai-chan.”

“You’re impossible,” Daishou waved off, but he didn’t look as irritated as his words said he was. Tetsurou smiled to himself, leaning forward to sneak a peek at the scrapbook’s insides.

“As for the chair arrangement, I think it should be five by ten; only close friends are coming, Bokuto’s police buddies, some of the dog owners Akaashi works for—their parents, of course, and I’ll even allow a tiny dog house in the back.”

“A dog house? For what? Sun and Scamp are going to be in the wedding, dumbass.”

“Not for them, for you, silly!”

“How are you and Akaashi even _friends_?” Daishou stressed wildly, writing so furiously he was in danger of ripping the paper. “You’re so pretentious and rude! You probably threatened to kidnap Bokuto if they didn’t let you have some part in the wedding.”

“I’ll have you know that Akaashi-kun is _way_ more threatening than me,” Kuroo retaliated. “He once threatened to storm into Chief Ukai’s office and sue at him for overworking Bokuto if Bo didn’t go in there to request a week off for his honeymoon—he’s _way_ more dangerous than me!”

“Tch. I don’t believe that for a second.”

“It’s true!”

“I doubt it. But it doesn’t matter, because that’s all I needed to know today,” Suguru finished scribbling, snapping the scrapbook shut. “Thank you so much for your time, Kuroo- _kun_.”

“Sure,” Tetsurou snickered. “I’ll put up with anyone for my bestie and his super hot bride.”

“Tch. Would Bokuto approve of you sexualizing his fiancé?”

“I’m the one who told Bokuto how hot Akaashi was! If anything, I should be the first person they invite to have a threesome with.”

“You’re sick.”

“But you’re picturing me naked, aren’t you?”

Kuroo’s grin was wiped off his face when Suguru’s cheeks suddenly blushed, an unexpecting turn of events despite the manager giving his greatest attempts to pull such a reaction from the wedding planner. Crap. Had he been unknowingly flirting with Daishou this entire time? He totally had been. Not good. But…if Suguru was blushing, did that mean _he_ was flirting with Kuroo as well, in a love-hate kind of way? No way. Kuroo couldn’t get with Bokuto’s wedding planner. Wasn’t that too twisted? Well, if Suguru was already picturing Tetsurou naked, they were halfway there and could just sleep together one time…

“Hi Daddy!”

Kuroo’s lusty thoughts were interrupted by the sound of little Kenji’s voice, the boy and a sexy redhead approaching their table. Daishou sat up so straightly it startled Tetsurou, blush somehow increasing when he looked over at the pair.

“Kenji…hi,” Suguru greeted slowly, eyes trailing to to woman beside his son. “Are you and mommy going for a walk?”

“Yeah!” Kenji nodded. He grinned at Kuroo and bowed quickly. “Hey, Kuroo-san! I don’t have Aone today because I’m with mommy this week, but I promise he gets _lots_ of walks!”

“Awesome! I bet he’s enjoying himself. Who’s this beautiful lady standing next to you?”

“This is Mika,” Suguru interrupted, shooting a quick glare at Kuroo. “Kenji’s mom. Mika, this is Kuroo—he’s the manager at the shelter we go Aone from.”

“Oh, I see! It’s nice to meet you, Kuroo-san,” The woman smiled, bowing at him as her hands rested on Kenji’s shoulders. They looked so much alike, her and Kenji, and their family fit together so nicely it almost pained Tetsurou to see. No way Suguru would sleep with him when he had a perfect life right here… “So, are you two on a date?”

Kuroo nearly choked on his own spit, and Suguru’s jaw dropped as Kenji giggled beneath them. _Wait. So…Suguru and Mika aren’t together? Did I miss something? Oh yeah! Kenji said he was with his mother this week, so that means…divorce?_

“Hehe! Daddy’s blushing!”

“I’m not! I mean, we’re not—on a date, I mean! We’re not!” Daishou sputtered, trying to distract himself by gathering his things, only succeeding in messing them up more. “Kuroo’s a friend of my client’s, that’s all!”

“Sure, sure,” Mika grinned down at her son. “We should go, Kenji—Daddy isn’t good at first dates. I would know.”

“S-Shut up!”

“I’ll warn you, Kuroo-san, he’s dreadful at dates in general. I remember one time—”

“ _Mika_!”

“Daddy and mommy were together for a while, but they’re not anymore,” Kenji explained to Tetsurou as his parents argued. “They live in different parts of the city, so I get one week with dad, then one with mom. It’s really fun, even if they aren’t in love anymore.”

“Oh…I see…” Tetsurou slowly replied.

“I think it’s about time we get going, Kenji,” Mika finally relented, giving Kuroo one last smile. “Nice to meet you, Kuroo. I’m sure we’ll see you another time.”

“Right—nice to meet you, too, Mika-chan. See you around, Kenji.”

“Yeah! Bye Kuroo, bye Daddy!”

Kenji plopped a kiss onto his father’s cheek before sauntering off with his mother, disappearing into the Tokyo crowd and leaving a very embarrassed Suguru behind. Kuroo didn’t really have it in him to tease Suguru about his failed love life, especially not when his own had gotten him into deep waters. It was just surprising because despite his arrogance, Daishou didn’t seem like to type to give-up on something, or someone—what was the history between he and Kenji’s mom? Did they get married young? Did they marry because of Kenji? Were they even married at all? They seemed civil enough…maybe Suguru loved her so much he had to let her go? Kuroo wanted to know the full story, but knew he was in no position to ask when his own past was so shady…

The only question he wanted answered right now was _did he have a chance?_

“I’ll be contacting you in a few months, then, for the rehearsal dinner and such,” Daishou said, gathering his things and avoiding eye-contact. “If you have any questions or suggestions, just give me a call.”

“Okay…sure.”

Kuroo stood up with Daishou, voice caught in his throat as the wedding planner threw his bag over his shoulder and started to turn around; a tiny voice in Tetsurou’s mind was yelling at him to go for it, while the other warned him, used to being ignored. Suguru was bad news, it said. Suguru was trouble because he was…well, successful. He was argumentative, spiteful, annoying, but also hot, hard working, dedicated and admittedly a great father from what Kuroo had seen. They would probably fight a lot. There would probably be a lot of angry sex involved. But…wouldn’t there be nice, domestic moments as well? Sweet, thoughtful moments Kuroo would reflect on for the rest of his life? At least there wouldn’t be any crime involved, unless crimes of passion counted…

_Don’t do it. You’re only hurting yourself._

_Do it_ , another voice encouraged. _What have you got to lose?_

“Hey, Dai-chan.”

Suguru paused, then turned around, expression more vulnerable than Kuroo had ever seen before. _Don’t do it. Don’t open yourself up._

“I might call you some other time, too. I mean…if that’s cool.”

Daishou blinked his green eyes slowly, as if he wasn’t sure if he heard Kuroo correctly. Then he shrugged, hiding how his heartbeat sped up momentarily.

“I don’t care,” He lied to himself. “See you.”

Kuroo exhaled under his breath and watched Daishou hurry away, bumping into several pedestrians with his heavy bags before disappearing down the sidewalk. The trees were starting to become bare from late autumn, and the wind was getting colder. Akaashi and Bokuto’s wedding was just around the corner, but Tetsurou couldn’t wait that long. He wanted to get to know Suguru now, wanted to go on terrible dates with him and play with Kenji. He had a worrying, overwhelming desire to go for someone way better than him. Bokuto told Akaashi that once, only to get his head thumped and then kissed gently, Kuroo listening as Keiji explained without a bit of shame that if anyone was superior in their relationship, it was Bokuto. Kuroo wanted a relationship like that, where your only fights are about who was the better character. Kuroo also wanted a steamy one-night stand that turned into something more as they grew to know each other on a personal level, criminal backgrounds and all—

Honestly, Tetsurou wasn’t sure if he could make it until the wedding to ask Suguru if he wanted to dance, and he kicked himself for thinking so.

“And here we go again…”

**Author's Note:**

> love my second otp, kuroo x sugs~~~ give these assholes some love in the comments. Also, i will definitely be going back into details on Akaashi x Bokuto's engagement, so don't worry! Also also, this series now has [ART](https://twitter.com/artthetrash/status/1259307434541228033) by artthetrash on twitter, so go check it out!
> 
> tumblr: suguruslut


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